Fashion for a Hitler-style stash is spreading through the animal kingdom with a goldfish called George now getting in on the act.

The five-year-old who belongs to Deborah Cochrane, from Belfast, has developed a distinctive black mark above his mouth which creates an uncanny resemblance to the fishist dictator.

George and a fellow goldfish that has died were named after the art duo Gilbert and George. George follows in the pawsteps of a string of cats who became nicknamed ‘Little Kitlers’ for the dark patches of fur below their noses.

According to his owner a moustache is not the only thing that George has in common with the famous Nazi.

The office worker said: ‘Like Hitler, George is vegetarian – he loves his peas.

‘Whenever I walk into the same room as George I notice he often has a fin raised and worry he is trying to indoctrinate me, but I am just being silly. Surely he is just waving ‘hello’?’

Ms Cochrane said George’s color has changed a lot over the years going from brown to his current bright orange.

However, instead of trying to scare off potentially hungry cats, there may be a more scientific explanation for George’s mustache.

Vet Fiona Macdonald, Secretary of the Fish Veterinary Society, said: ‘It is a black pigment that is formed as a result of the fish’s body fighting an infection.

‘It might or might not be permanent.’

It’s not just goldfish that are getting into the Hitler ‘stash… Cats are doing it: